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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Hey guys! So finally my giveaway going to be opened :) Thank you to my 400+ blog followers, again I am so overwhelmed and each and every one of you mean so much to me ♥

To show you my continuous appreciation, I am starting a new giveaway. But this time, it's much different to my previous giveaways. This one is a contest and there will be 3 winners. Here is how it will work:

1 winner will be a blog follower from Australia - because that is where I am from

1 winner will be a blog follower from anywhere in the world outside of Australia (international) - I think the majority of my readers are from outside of Australia!

1 winner will be a blog AND Twitter follower from anywhere around the world

The winners will not be picked by random but instead, chosen by me through a contest. Why and how is it a contest?

Basically, I am sending products to the winners to be reviewed, so I'm providing items for product reviews.

I am going to choose 3 people who I believe are most willing to do product reviews and are able to do them well.

I won't say what I'm looking for in these product reviews and I will not be biased with my decisions.

Entrants must be able to convince me that they would be the best candidate for doing product reviews and getting a prize :D

There are 3 prizes for the 3 winners, and 4 items in each

Prize 1:

- 1 pair of plano circle lenses (Geo Nudy Golden Blue) with lens case

- Maybelline XXL Curl Power Mascara in Brownish Black

- Savvy by DB Automatic Black Eyeliner

- 1 pair of false eyelashes

Prize 2:

- Laneige Professional Makeup Remover Samples

- Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser

- Australis Nail Colour in Pink Pluto

- NYX Scented Spray-on Glitter

Prize 3:

- Revlon Matte Eyeshadow in Luscious Lime

- Simple Refreshing Facial Wash Gel

- St. Ives Apricot Exfoliating Mask

- Simple Soothing Facial Toner

What's so good about this giveaway?

1. You don't have to have a blog. You could email me your reviews instead (if you are a winner, that is)

2. No one gets to have more entries than you. 1 entry per person, no posting on blogs or sidebars about my giveaway, no re-tweeting, no voting. It's simple, it's fair. This is not a popularity contest amongst my followers or a way of me gaining more followers by advertising my giveaway everywhere. I'm not holding this giveaway to gain more followers or to attract new readers.

3. Only my loyal blog readers and followers would know about this giveaway (because it won't be on your sidebars or blog posts), therefore increasing your chances of being picked as a winner.

4. You have the choice of prize - There are 3 prizes, you pick which one you want and enter. No randomness involved.

5. The prizes are earnt - This gives you the chance to be competitive and give it all you've got. Let me know how and why you're worthy of winning! That's why it's a contest.

All you've got to do is fill in the form/s and you'll be entered immediately!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Hey everyone :) Hope you've all been having a great week. I got two new pairs of circle lenses from iCandyStyleLens which I will be reviewing. I chose the Geo Honey Wing (OL-104) and Geo Angel Black (CM-836) and I was really eager to try the black pair especially because this was my first time having a pair of black lenses. I used to think that they'd be pretty creepy to wear out (black eyes remind me of possessed eyes) but after wearing them on, my views on these have changed :)

[GEO] OL-104

Series: Olive

Colour: Brown

DIA: 14.00mm

B.C: 8.60mm

Water Content: 38%

Brand: GEO

Life Span: 1 year disposable

Before and after

Natural lighting

Camera flash

Before I got these lenses I was a bit skeptical about the style because of the 'squiggles' in the center and I wasn't sure whether they would be able to blend in with my eyes. Surprisingly, these brown lenses do blend quite nicely with my eyes and also give me that dolly effect. Do you recognise these lenses from my Dolly Wink haul? Yeah, these remind me of those candy lenses like the ones Tsubasa Masuwaka, except I reckon these look more natural during the day :) I think it must be because the limbal ring is brown instead of black, which is much more bold.

I've started to really like the pattern on these lenses and I can definitely see that they enlarge my irises in a subtle way, nothing too dramatic. They make me look more awake and I like how these look on me. I would feel comfortable with wearing these out because they aren't scary or strange (to me anyway) xD

Colour: ★★★★★ If they were much lighter they wouldn't blend well with my eyes

Pattern: ★★★★ Could blend better with my eyes in flash photography

Comfort: ★★★★★ Very comfortable! Felt like I wasn't wearing lenses at times

Enlargement: ★★★★ For 14mm lenses, they enlarge well

Overall Score: 18/20 Love it!

Now to my Geo Angel Black Lenses

There isn't a model for these lenses but instead I've used an image of an ulzzang girl. I know the image has been highly photoshopped but I admire her beauty =)

[GEO] CM-836

Series: Angel

Colour: Black

DIA: 14.00mm

B.C: 8.60mm

Water Content: 38%

Brand: GEO

Life Span: 1 year disposable

Before and after wearing the lenses

Natural lighting

Camera flash

Yay black lenses :) What do you think of them? I'm known for having naturally dark coloured eyes so maybe these lenses blend better than brown lenses. These give my eyes quite a lot of enlargement and for some that may seem freaky because they're black or some may find them cute because they make my eyes look so dolly. I guess this is why most ulzzangs wear black lenses.

I chose these lenses because I wanted to experiment with the Geo Angel series. This is quite a popular series of lenses and they are also very common as they enlarge and also give a distinct colour change. Here is the Angel series:

Angel Black isn't really a part of the series but it has the same pattern

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

I’ve recently discovered a new online shopping site called ‘Become’ and I really wanted to share it with you guys. Become.com – Shopping Your Way, power shopping at your fingertips. Compare, shop and save big. There is so much that Become offers compared to other online shopping sites and it has many powerful features that make it stand out from the rest. One that I definitely like is the ‘no surprises’ price feature which gives you the total cost of the product before going to the checkout. That total cost includes shipping and tax so no nasty surprises there.

Become.com is totally different to any of the online shopping sites that I have come across, and you’d know what I mean once you visit and check out the items they have to offer. There are basically online shops within this online shop i.e. it directs you to other online stores when you type in something to search. So although you're browsing on Become.com, you can purchase items though other online stores. Pretty cool I reckon.

I was having a browse through the clothing and accessories and I was randomly looking through their dresses which I thought was quite pretty. Even though it’s not something I’d purchase now, I may consider it for some sort of formal event.

What I love about this site is that when you look at a dress, they also suggest a pair of shoes to match! For example, this sequined strapless dress has suggested for me to also purchase a pair of Jimmy Choo heels. Of course, you don’t have to but being able to see the style can give you some ideas for what shoes to wear with an outfit.

It’s summer over here in Australia at the moment but it’s still great to think about what to wear in winter. I tend to think about what sorts of clothing pieces I would like to wear for the next season so that I’m prepared haha.

I don’t currently own a peacoat but I really want to. This one was the cheapest one I found, it’s only $39.95, less than half the RRP. I may consider it, hmmm.

I like how this site has an easy name to remember and they have links to stores that currently offer free shipping so you can check them out :) I must say, it's simple to navigate and the inclusion of price comparisons would definitely comes in handy.

So let me know if you decide to use become.com because I'll surely be using it when I want to find a product and also the cheapest one online :)

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Hi girls, here is my long awaited Dolly Wink haul and review. I've already showed a preview of what I got in a previous post but just in case you missed it, here is a picture of my Dolly Wink items:

L-R: No.2 Lashes, Deep Black Liquid Eyeliner and No.4 Lashes

Dolly Wink is a line created by the Japanese gal (gyaru) and model Tsubasa Masuwaka, as pictured in the packages above. Each item from her line has such cute packaging which I utterly adore!

I purchased my Dolly Wink items online because for me, it's the cheaper option. I could get these in-store but they cost WAY too much. The total of the three items above is the same amount as one set of Dolly Wink false eyelashes at a shop in my city. So not worth it, right?

Koji Dolly Wink Liquid Eyeliner (Deep Black)

Slightly different to the Japanese packaging - sticky label with Chinese description. I got this from a seller in Hong Kong, same with my other products. Sorry I'm not good with reading Chinese so I can't translate :(

I reckon I got this at a pretty good price. On eBay it was selling for $12 (excluding shipping) which is about the same price as a drugstore liquid liner. I'm not too sure whether Dolly Wink is a drugstore brand in Japan or Asia but all I know is that it is definitely good value :D At the moment I don't think there are any Dolly Wink liquid eyeliners are under $15.

Totally irrelevant, but this is how I hold my pen. Do you hold it the same or similar?

I'm also a right-hander. I wonder who else is or isn't!

It has a very nice brush tip which to me is extremely impressive. A little goes a long way. If I just gently press down with the fine tip, the black liquid comes out from it very smoothly. By using the fine tip to line your top lash line, you can create a very sleek line with minimal effort. Or you could use the whole brush tip to create a thicker, more defined line or wing it out to create a cat-eye effect. I like how there's a little ball inside to help shake the liquid up if it's running out. I had no idea about it until I started using it.

I'm not good with making straight lines but that doesn't matter because when you use it to line your eyes, it's not supposed to be straight. You don't need to have the steadiest hands to properly line your top lash line :)

The Dolly Wink liquid eyeliner reminds me so much of a black permanent pen. The scent is not strong like a permanent pen but the similarity is its ability to last long and not fade. With this liquid eyeliner, it's hard to be removed by rubbing it off and you don't have to worry about it fading. The formula is perfect - bearable scent (unlike a permanent marker), smudge-proof, waterproof (I believe so), sweat-proof perhaps and long-lasting. Oh and also, it dries quickly and can be removed quite easily with makeup remover.

I used the very top part of the liner. Makes a very thin line which is nice and subtle

Now to the fun part - talking about its packaging. What can I say, it has pretty and cute written all over it. Girly pink packaging with patterns, polka dots and a lovely black bow on the top. There is no way that I am going to chuck the packaging out, it's too gorgeous! Call me weird I don't care, packaging this cute is rare to find in Australia :P The liquid liner could definitely be mistaken for a black pen because it reminds me so much of cute Asian stationery.

Product: 5/5 - perfect liquid liner for me

Packaging: 5/5 - can't really get much cuter than this

Price: 4/5 - I was lucky when I purchased it from eBay, it was by far the cheapest one there. Realistically, this would be around $20AUD or more.

Last words:

Even if this is around $20+, it's still worth it for the price. I'm being so careful with how much I use it and I would only use it for a special occasion, not for daily use. I would hate for it to run out really quickly because I won't be able to get a replacement for a while. Purchasing online can be quite inconvenient for me and I don't like waiting for it to come :(

Repurchase?

Yes I would, unless I come across a really good drugstore brand one in store that is comparable to this. It ticks all the boxes for me, I really like this product. I highly recommend this!

Koji Dolly Wink Eyelash No.2 Sweet Girly

This was the first Dolly Wink item I received in the mail and you could probably imagine how excited I was to try these on and all. Finally getting my hands on a Dolly Wink item which is considerably pricey in my city is awesome :D

Instructions inside. Useful for beginners

I got these lashes for under $10 (excluding shipping fee) on eBay and to me it wasn't too pricey. In one set there are two pairs of false eyelashes and a Dolly Wink glue included.

It's a really good quality glue! I like it and the nozzle makes the glue come out easier, not in one big blob. It's a shame that it's only a small amount but you can purchase this glue under the brand name Koji.

What really attracted me to get this set were the three styles on one lash band. The inner part has thin, wispy strands, the middle part has thick, dark ends and the outer part has long, straight ends. It's hard to explain but if you have a look at them, you'll understand what I mean.

Can you kind of see the 3 different 'styles' on the band?

By the way, can anyone recommend a really good black eyeliner for the waterline? Mine always fades, like within a minute of wearing!

In flash photography, these lashes will have a glare and look really shiny. It makes them look unnatural, so it gives off more of a dramatic look. I believe that the glue dries clear but it takes quite a while for it to become clear...

During the day, they look more natural and soft. The lashes are comfortable to wear and I love how the lashes have a clear band so it can blend in nicely with my natural lashes

These lashes go by their name - sweet and girly. I can see myself wearing these to a special event like a party. I may not wear these at night because of the glare from flash photography but if I do wear them to an evening event then I would try my best not to blink or have my eyes closed in any shots. After cutting the ends, these lashes were able to fit my eye shape really nicely.

Packaging: 5/5 - can't really get much cuter than this. Packaging is ideal for neat lash storage and it comes with glue

Price: 3/5 - I got these quite cheap on eBay but if I get them in store = too expensive

Last words:

I know that Dolly Wink is quite an overrated brand online compared to many other Japanese-branded false eyelashes, but I understand why it's such a big hype. The styles are so unique and they're really pretty! The lashes are long so you can create that dolly look :)

Repurchase?

I would repurchase only if I can't find lashes similar to this style. In other words, if I don't find a cheaper alternative then I would. However, there are many other lash brands that I'd like to try so I think I'd rather purchase other styles and brands before repurchasing this. I tend to wear the cheaper lashes that come in a box of 10 or lashes which are sold by pair for about $2 or so. The main reason for me purchasing them in the first place was because I was curious about them and wanted to see what I'd look like with them on. I do recommend these lashes and the price I paid was decent for 2 pairs of high quality lashes.

Koji Dolly Wink Eyelash No.4 Feminine Style

Again these lashes were under $10 and I won them from bidding on eBay. I was the only one who placed a bid for this anyway haha. I wanted to buy these because I noticed that they were shorter than other Dolly Wink lashes (these are the shortest) so I didn't need to trim them. They remind me a lot of half-falsies which only add length/volume to the outer lashes.

Same packaging as the previous set, included glue.

Also, this style is almost identical to the ends of the No.2 lashes, don't you think?

Instructions are all in Japanese, but the pictures are helpful

These lashes are so natural in my opinion. To me they create that 'winged' effect and make my ends look longer :) These are not that dramatic and they can be suitable for day or night.

For some unknown reason, these lashes don't have the glare compared to the No.2 lashes. Must be a different type of synthetic lash. Only the glue gives off that shininess :/

They're almost invisible aren't they? Once again, I really like how they have a clear band and are soft yet strong lashes that I know will last for a while.

Product: 5/5 - high quality synthetic false eyelashes. Very soft, minimal shine in flash photography and can be quite natural-looking

Packaging: 5/5 - can't really get much cuter than this. Packaging is ideal for neat lash storage and it comes with glue

Price: 3/5 - I got these quite cheap on eBay but to get them in store, too expensive

Last words:

I know that Dolly Wink is quite an overrated brand online compared to many other Japanese-branded false eyelashes, but I understand why it's such a big hype. The styles are so unique and they're really pretty! The lashes are long so you can create that dolly look :)

Repurchase?

I may repurchase these if I don't find a cheaper alternative. I like how they're like half-lashes and I rarely see styles like these. There are many other lash brands that I'd like to try so I may not repurchase until I try others. Also, I tend to wear the cheaper lashes that come in a box of 10 or lashes which are sold by pair for about $2 or so. The main reason for me purchasing them in the first place was because I was curious about them and wanted to see what I'd look like with them on. I do recommend these lashes and the price I paid was decent for 2 pairs of high quality lashes.

So that's it for my Dolly Wink haul/review. It was a bit long but hopefully it had enough important detail. Dolly Wink is a really good brand for false eyelashes and makeup but for some, it can be on the pricey side. Honestly for me, it was worth it and whenever I compare the amount I paid online for Dolly Wink instead of in store, I don't feel guilty or regret buying any of it :D Now I just want to collect more of these Dolly Wink lashes and possibly expand my collection by trying out their eyeshadows or nail polishes!

If you would like to know anything else or the eBay seller names of these Dolly Wink items, please feel free to contact me :) Email preferably if you're after the sellers on eBay.

Disclaimer: These items were purchased with my own money. I am not sponsored or affiliated with Dolly Wink, nor was I paid to do this review. Review has been based on my 100% honest opinions.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Hello, how is everyone? It's funny how I used to blog each day but now I blog once or twice a week. I've been out and about so I haven't had much time to sit and blog. My Dolly Wink haul and review will probably be up on the weekend because I need to take photos with them on and edit. Being a blogger can be quite time consuming, especially when you have other things you want to do in mind - i.e. finish watching a drama x]

Just going to give you all a little update on what's been happening. Thank you to those who congratulated me on my uni offer, I feel humbled :') Although I'm looking forward to seeing what 'uni life' would be like, I can already imagine uni being hectic for me so for now I'm just going to enjoy the rest of my holidays :D Yay!

Today I went out with my boyfriend and we browsed around the shops in town. I headed into Priceline. I know what you're going to say - and no I didn't go in there to buy makeup :P I looked around but nothing really tempted me... EXCEPT for some brushes that were discounted :)

I ended up buying 2 Red Earth brushes from Priceline. They were under the clearance rack for only $5 each! RRP about $15 or so. So glad I didn't ban myself from buying new makeup brushes... phew.

I think Priceline is discontinuing the sales of Red Earth cosmetics because they were all $5 each. I've never really tried any Red Earth cosmetics before but I they seem to have quality because I've heard quite a lot about them. I've seen them on blogs that aren't from Australia :)

Foundation Brush

Excuse my nail polish chipping :/ I'm re-painting my nails tomorrow

Angled Eye Contour Brush

I forgot to take a photo of me holding both of them together =|

They came in black velvet pouches

This won't be a review, but more of a run-down of what I think of these brushes. The retailed for about $15 so to me that seems as though these brushes are good quality. I remember wanting a Red Earth kabuki brush, and that was $30. I didn't buy it when it retailed for that price and I didn't see it today :(

Starting with the foundation brush...

Came with a brush guard - very hard plastic

The handle of this brush is thick, hard plastic which definitely looks and feels strong and durable. I absolutely love how it's light-weight and sleek. I really can't wait to use it, but I reckon I'm going to use it when I end up getting a liquid foundation. Currently I'm using a matte foundation and I already have 2 foundation brushes in use.

Closer look at the brush hair

I am sure that the hair is synthetic because it is SOOOO soft! Softest and shiniest hair I have ever felt and seen. I fear that I will damage the hairs if I use my matte foundation. It's not that I don't trust this foundation brush to do the job, I just want to be on the safe side and use a smoother foundation for the delicate hairs on this brush. To me, this brush looks like an expensive professional makeup brush. The brush has a woody-plastic smell which is bearable and not that bad.

Now onto the Angled Eye Contour Brush

Had plastic sleeving over it. It's gone now

Rounded brush head

This again is a very impressive brush. Extremely light-weight, nice black plastic barrel and soft, fluffy hair. I admire the fact that it has a rounded top to make contouring easier and that the hairs are not too dense. This is a much better alternative to my current angled contour brush from Australis, which was in my 2010 naughty list.

I was tempted to buy all of the brushes that were left (one other foundation brush left, a few eye contouring ones, eyebrow brushes and some concealer brushes) but I didn't want to splurge. I've already got the brushes I need =] I may go back another time and get back-ups of these brushes but maybe they'll be all gone by then!

My tip for you - don't skip past clearance racks, you never know what bargains you may find. Of course, it can be a little awkward for you to rummage through items that are no longer 'wanted' in store but usually they have been heavily discounted :D You'll be one happy customer, trust me.

Me and my boyfriend went to a Vietnamese restaurant for lunch. He ordered the food because he's Vietnamese and I can't pronounce the names of the foods properly haha -_- Here's what we had:

My boyfriend's lunch - Com Tam Dac Biet (Rice combination)

My lunch - Pho Bo (Beef Noodle Soup)

So nice :D

And our dessert! Fried Ice cream ♥

Well, my dessert... boyfriend already started eating his before I could take a picture haha